ANDERSON — Rachel Landers has been Larry “The Can Man”VanNess’s caretaker for the last seven years.
“He is a big part of my life and I’m not ready to let that go,” Landers said.
See the 75-year-old VanNess has been collecting pop tabs around Anderson for the last 19 years.
“The Can Man” has donated nearly 27 million tabs to the Ronald McDonald House – raising nearly $12,500.
“He made the tabs his life mission,” Landers said.
Now the City of Anderson is rallying behind a man who made his mission to give back to people in need.
VanNess has been in the hospital since Sunday after he was hit by a truck while crossing the street.
“He was never able to have children of his own so this is his way of having a family,” Landers said.
Jerry Farmer has called VanNess a friend for the last 12 years. Farmer volunteers at the Lil Miracles – a pregnancy resource center in Anderson.
“He comes and pick-ups the tabs – I pick them up and bring them here – and other people bring them here,” Farmer said.
Farmer said VanNess has picked up tabs here for the last four years – he is saving bags of pop tabs for the next VanNess stops by.
“When Anderson has a problem, we always come together but Larry makes it a whole lot more special,” Farmer said.
Now Hoosier has a chance to give back to “The Can Man” to help keep its donations going.
There are several can tab drop-off locations in Anderson, which are:
- Old National Bank at 219 S Scatterfield Rd in central Anderson.
- Lil Miracles Pregnancy Resource Center at 2709 E 38th St in South Anderson.
- Bobber's Cafe at Shadyside at 1117 Alexandria Pike in North Anderson.
- On Broadway at 44 Jackson St in North Anderson.
- Creatures of Habit at 1031 Meridian St in downtown Anderson.
- Kettle Top Brewhouse at 1213 Meridian St in downtown Anderson.
- The Usual Suspects Cigar Bar, 9 Town Ctr Plaza in downtown Anderson.
- Kroakerheads at 1239 Meridian St in downtown Anderson.
- The Fraternal Order of Eagles at 1315 Meridian St in downtown Anderson.
- Pink Moon 22 at 2523 E 10th St in the old Panorama Shopping Center in central Anderson
- The Emporium 1101 flea market at 2200 S Scatterfield Rd in central Anderson.
- Trader Buck's Flea Market at 1921 E 53rd St in South Anderson.
- AACT #1 Flea Market at 831 E 53rd St in South Anderson.
- Any Aspire Indiana Health clinic location in central Indiana, the Anderson location being the health clinic at 2009 Brown St behind St Vincent Hospital in Anderson.
- Tom Wood Honda, 5920 S Scatterfield Rd in South Anderson.
- The Wiggery, 2102 Broadway in North Anderson
- Michelle Freed Photography Studio, 2520 Mounds Rd in East Anderson, placed in the shed that has a front door on it. There are three buildings in the location.
- The Curve, 114 S Park Ave in Alexandria
- The Fraternal Order of Eagles, 217 Cleveland St in Alexandria
- The Elks Lodge, 1810 S Harrison St in Alexandria
-
IMPD officer charged after recording sexual acts in full uniform, voyeurism
An IMPD officer has been charged with voyeurism after allegedly recording sexual acts while in uniform with women without their consent to be on camera
‘13 FIRES’: One family’s story of resilience amid turmoil along Indiana Avenue
“13 FIRES” by Curtis K. Rogers tells the story of one family's resiliency while living along Indiana Avenue in 1956.
Dominated by No.2 Ohio State for years, No. 5 Indiana has a chance for payback
If Indiana beats Ohio State and closes out the season with a win over Purdue, the Hoosiers will be in the Big Ten championship for the first time since the inception of the game in 2011.
Preparing for the political chatter around the table on Thanksgiving
IU psychology professor Edward Hirt offers insight on navigating through this first big family get-together, since an historic and polarizing election.
